Article protector for ironing boards and the like



March 1956 M. w. MONTGOMERY EI'AL 2,737,738

ARTICLE PROTECTOR FOR IRONING BOARDS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 30, 1954 JNVENTORS.

M) Mm ATTORNEYS.

United States Patein':- O

ARTICLE PROTECTOR FOR IRONING BOARDS AND THE LIKE Marylie W. Montgomery, Greenville, N. C., and Jesse N. Williams, Jr., Madison, Wis.

Application August 30, 1954, Serial No. 453,056 6 Claims. (Cl. 323-111) This invention relates to article handling and more particularly to an article protector for use with ironing boards, sewing machines and the like, for preventing the articles being worked upon from touching the floor and becoming soiled.

An object of the present invention is provision of an improved protector for use with an ironing board or the like, which may be easily mounted on the floor below the ironing board so as to protect the articles being worked upon from touching the floor and becoming soiled.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a protector for use with an ironing board, or the like, having improved means for supporting the same in its operative position below the ironing board;

A further object of the invention is the provision of a protector for use with the ironing board or the like, having an improved supporting frame which may be easily collapsed into a compact unit suitable for hanging in a closet or otherwise storing the same when not in use.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved supporting frame for an ironing board article protector which permits the operator to gain easyaccess .to the ironing board and effectively protects the articles from coming into contact with the shoes of the operator.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved ironing board protector for preventing articles from touching the floor and becoming soiled which is simple in operation and economical to manufacture and maintain.

These and other objects of the present inventionwill be- 44 of Figure 3;

come more apparent during the course of the following I detailed description and appendedclaims.

Figure 5 is a cross-section view taken alongthe line i5-j-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 he cross section view taken alongthe line 6+6 of Figure l, and V Figure 7 is a cross-section view taken along, the line '7-7 of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings there is shownin Figure 1 a protector 10 disposed in operative relation with respect to an ironing board 12. The ironing board 12 may be of any conventional construction and,

as shown, may include an ironing board surface'14 and front and rear supporting legs 16 and 18.= It will be understood that the ironing board construction forms no part of the present invention which relates to a protector adapted for use with an ironing board, sewing machine or the like.

The protector 10 of the present invention includes a substantially rectangular sheet of flexible material 20, such as cloth, plastic or the like, which is adapted to be placed beneath the ironing board so as to cover a surface area greater than the area of the ironing board surface. As shown in Figure 2, the sheet of flexible material 20 may be provided with a transverse cut 22 and a flap 24 secured adjacent thereto. As indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, the cut may extend inwardly from one edge of the sheet of flexible material to a point just past the mid-portion of the sheet. The flap 24 may be moved upwardly, when the protector is used with an ironing board of the type shown in Figure 1, so that the lower end of the forward leg 16 may engage the floor therebelow. The outer edge of the flap 24 is preferably provided with tabs 26 and cooperating fastening elements 28 are preferably provided between the tabs and the adjacent part of the flexible sheet for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

Mounted upon one edge of the sheet of flexible material is a plurality of tabs 30 each of which likewise carries one of a pair of cooperating fastening elements 32. The fastening elements 32 are adapted to detachably secure the sheet of flexible material to an elongated supporting frame 34 through cooperating fastening elements 32 carried thereby.

The frame 34 preferably comprises a pair of complementary frame members 36 and 38, each of which may include a horizontal leg portion 40 having the cooperating fastening elements 32 mounted on the upper surface thereof. The horizontal leg portions are preferably hinged together at their inner ends by suitable means, such as hinge 42. The hinge 42 is preferably of the frictional type and may include a pair of cooperating hinge members 44 secured to the respective horizontal leg portions 40 and connected together about a common vertical axis by means of a split tubular spring member 46. As shown in Figure 6, the spring member 46 is constructed so that the adjacent free ends thereof will be biased away from each other. In this manner, the spring member 46 is biased against the hinge members 44 so as to resiliently hold the same against movement. Thus,-the frame members 36 and 38 may be pivoted with respect to each other and the hinge 42 will resiliently maintain the same in any position into which the members are moved.

-Means are preferably provided for supporting the horizontal leg portions of the frame in vertically spaced relation to the. floor or other suitable supporting surface. As shown, this means may include a vertical leg portion 48 extending downwardly from the outer end of each horizontal leg portion 40 so as to constitute a part of the respective frame members 36 and 38. Pivotally mounted adjacent the lower end of each vertical leg portion 48, as by hinge 50 or the like, is a horizontally extending foot member 52. As shown in Figures 1 and 5, a hinge 50 is mounted between each vertical leg portion 48 and foot member 52 so that the latter may pivot about a vertical axis between positions substantially transverse and parallel to the horizontal leg portion of the respective framemembers. It will be understood that the bottom surface of each foot member 52 is in alignment with the bottom surface of the associated vertical leg portion 48 and cooperate to support the horizontal leg portions 40 above the floor when the same are in their extended operative position.

As shown in Figure l, the protector 10 of the present invention may be placed in its operative position by extending the sheet of flexible material beneath the ironing board so that the same will be supported on the floor directly therebelow and cover a surface area greater than positioned beneath the ironing board. By so doing it is not necessary to move the ironing board forward leg off the floor since the flexible sheet may be moved transversely into position by virtue of the cut 22. In its operative position the frame 34 is extended so that the horizontal leg portions 40 of the frame members;36 and, 38 are pivotedinto longitudinal alignment, andeach foot member 52 is pivoted into a position transverse to the extent of the frame members. In this manner, the edge of the sheet of flexible material nearest the operator is supported above the floor and thevertical space between theifloor andthehorizontal leg portions of the-frame provide ample area within which the operators shoes may extend. It is to be noted that the shoes of the operator are prevented from engaging the upper surface of the sheet of material bu y t may extend into engagement with the undersurface thereof so that the operator may move into close proximity to the ironing board without danger of soilin gthe articles being worked upon.

As shown in Figure 7, the fastening element 28, as well asthe fasteningelements32, are constructed so as to permit the same to be oppositely engaged. In this manner, flexible sheet may be reversed and the supporting frame moved to the opposite side of the ironing board so that the operator may operate on either side of the ironing board. Thus, to reverse the position of the protectorfrom that shown in Figure 1, it is necessary merely to detach the cooperating fastening elements 32,, reverse the flexible sheet 20 and its flap 24, move the supporting frame 34-to the opposite side and then re-fasten the cooperating fastening element 32.

When the protector of the present invention is not being used; the same may be collapsed into a position suit able for storage. To this end, there is pivoted on the vertical-leg portion 48 of the frame member 36 a hook member 54. A cooperating securing element 56 is secured to the vertical leg portion 48 of the frame member and an elongated strip of felt 58 or other suitable material-is preferably secured to each of the vertical leg portions 48:

To collapse the protector of the present invention into its storage position, the flexiblesheet is first detached from the frame and then moved transversely from beneath the ironing board The flap 25} of the sheet may then be closed by engaging the cooperating fastening elements 28; The flexible sheet of material is then folded to be fenclosedin the supporting frame when the latter is hingedv into its collapsed position To collapse; the framefit isnecessary merely to pivot each footmember 52 into a position parallel to its respective horizon ta l leg portion and-then to pivot the frame members 36 and 38 about the hinge 42. When the frame members are moved together, the strips of felt 58 will move togetherto embrace thefoldcd sheet of material along its upper edge. In order to securely maintain the frame members in their collapsible storage position, the hook member 54% is pi voted "so as to engage within a slot 69 formed in the se; curing member 56." In this manner, the resiliency in the strips of felt 58" tend to urge the hoolg member firmly into engagement with the slot 60 of member 56. It will be understood that the hook member 54 provides a con.- venient means for hanging the protector in acloset or other convenient placewhen not in use.

van. h s f s nthfl there h n. pr x dede proteotorfor-use with ironing boards, sewingvmachines and; the like, which will prevent the articles or materials beingworked upon-from touching the floor and becoming soiled. It can be seen in the embodiment disclosed, that articles such as sheets, draperies, etc., which, when ironed, would extend downwardly from the ironing board into engagement with the floor, will be protected by engagement with the flexible sheet. While the flexible sheet may be utilized without the supporting frame 34, the latter provides an effective means for supporting the end of the sheet; adjacent the operator, in spaced relation to the floor so that the operator may move into close proximity to the ironing board. Moreover, with the present invention, the supporting frame may be utilized on either side of ironing board. Where the present invention is utilized in conjunction; with an ironing board which is pivotally supported on a wall and therefore does not include a forward leg, the flap 24 may be closed by engagement of the co operating fastening elements 28. Lastly, the protector of the present invention may be easily collapsed into a position for suitable storage. It will be seen that the construction of the protector is such that the same is simple to operate and may be economically manufactured.

It. is. also to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same and that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Weclaim:

1. A protector for use with an ironing board or the like comprising an elongated frame including two complementaly frame members hinged at adjacent ends for pivotal movement about a vertical axis between an ex tended operative position wherein said frame members are in substantial longitudinal alignment and a collapsed storage position wherein said frame members are in substantial side by side relationship, floor engaging means extending vertically and downwardly from the other ends of said frame members for supporting the same in extended position above the floor substantiallyv directly-below one side of the ironing board, and a sheet of flexible material for placement on the floor below the. ironing board to cover a surface greater than the surface of the ironing board, said sheet of flexible material having a longitudinal edge portion thereof provided with means for detachably securing the same to said frame members, the opposite edge portion of said sheet of flexible material being free and arranged to extend beyond the opposite side of the ironing board a substantial distance, said sheet of flexible material further including means defining an opening disposed in a position to receive the; forward, leg of he-ironing b ar an through i said eg y tend so as to engage thefloor therebelow.

2 A protector asdefined in claim 1 wherein said floor engaging means includes legs extending downwardly, from said other end-s of said frame members.

3. A protector as defined in claim 2 wherein said floor agasinsm ans urthe n udes. oot memberspivmed 9. he ower. nds idl ss m m nt bnuta vertical axis between an operative position wherein said foot members are disposed substantially transverse, to said frame members and a collapsed position wherein said foot members are parallel with said frame members.

4. A protector as defined in claim 2 including interengagiylgrelcments on said legs for locking said frame members in said collapsed storage position,

5. Aprotector as defined in claim 4 wherein the ,upper end of one of said elements forms a hook for-suspending the protector in its collapsed storage position andthe lower end thereof engages the other of said elements.

6.,A ,protector for usewith an ironing board or thelike comprising a flat substantially rectangular sheetpf flex ible-material for-placement on the. floor below .the ironing boardto covera; surface; area greater than the surface of theironing board; said sheet of flexible-material having a cut-extendingfrom one longitudinal edge portion thereof inwardlycsubstantially to the midportion thereof soas'to formopposed-generally transverse free edge portions,- a

flap secured to one of said transverse free edge portions and overlapping the other, and means on said one longitudinal edge portion of said sheet of flexible material for detachably securing the same to an elongated horizontally disposed frame operable to support said one longitudinal edge portion above the floor substantially directly below one side of the ironing board, said flap being operable to overlie the lower portion of the forward leg of the ironing board engaging the floor between the free edge portions formed by said cut.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Christie 1. Feb. 20, 1917 Levy Mar. 19, 1918 Henderson Aug. 24, 1948 Baker Nov. 1, 1949 Hild Mar. 30, 1951 Rauscher Aug. 14, 1951 

